Like me, you could be afraid of heights, but still love a good adventure. And like me, you may believe the best way to teach your children is to lead by example. Of course it is a little hard to push your kids to overcome their fears if you share those same fears, too.
A few weeks ago, I decided that getting over these phobias in a space that promises to make you feel secure even while it gets the adrenalin flowing, might be the answer. And so I headed to Clymb, the indoor skydiving and wall-climbing facility in Abu Dhabi, to see what (safe) adventures awaited, with my two boys, who are 9 and 7, in tow.
Wall climbing
Clymb boasts the world's tallest indoor climbing wall, an intimidating prospect for someone like me, but the team promises anyone can scale this wall no matter their age or fitness ability.
After we put on our special shoes, our instructor Cyril started the session with a little warm-up. For about 10 minutes, we climbed sideways on a three-metre-high wall, did a few stretches, put on our harnesses and got ready for our first challenge: a 5.5-metre-high beginner's wall.
Helpfully, Cyril was on hand instructing us constantly as we climbed. Each part of the wall is different, so we alternated from one side to the other. Cyril would challenge us using the structure’s colour-coded holds.
The intermediate wall is almost double the beginner's wall - 10 metres high to be exact - and that's when things got a little trickier
“Now, you can only touch the grey and orange ones,” he’d exclaim, and my boys would excitedly look to follow in their rush to reach the summit.
At the start, the kids had a hard time finding their grasp and pulling themselves up, but we were able to reach the top within a few minutes. It was here that I faltered, and had a hard time letting myself go. I knew I was safe, but it took some encouragement. It was only after I saw my boys let themselves go so easily that I was finally able to do it, too.
Our confidence boosted, we were ready to move on to the next challenge. The intermediate wall is almost double the beginner's wall – 10 metres high to be exact – and that's when things got a little trickier.
The wall is not much harder technique-wise, but its height is intimidating. While my 7-year-old and I made it all the way to the top together, my eldest son decided to let go a little more than halfway through – which, at almost six metres, was the highest he's ever climbed and, as I reminded him, still an accomplishment.
Other walls, which are higher, require rope support – a skill that visitors from the age of 14 and above can sign up for. Some shorter walls, meanwhile, don't require a harness, and are focused on building strength.
Indoor skydiving
While wall climbing is an activity my children are familiar with to an extent, the indoor skydiving was a totally new experience for them (I sat this one out). Once we were at Clymb's wind tunnel, which is the world's largest for indoor skydiving, we were lucky to see a team of professionals in training. It was like a show – and the boys were in awe.
The boys then met their instructor Richard Manalaysay, who gave them a body suit to put on top of their clothes. He escorted them into a training room, where they watched a video that explained the main body technique for skydiving, and the different signs the children and the instructor would use to communicate with each other inside the tunnel.
Each of the boys, equipped with ear plugs and a helmet, was given three rounds of a minute each. While the first two rounds focused on helping them find the right balance so they could fly, in the third round the instructor takes them a little higher.
It's amazing to see how children – and adults, too – get better with every step. Between the first and second rounds of skydiving, for example, my boys went from not knowing what to expect, to trying to remember everything they needed to do – and succeeding.
At the end, Manalaysay put on a little show for the children, flying in circles and up and down the tunnel. The kids left feeling a great sense of fulfilment, especially when they received certificates for both the activities.
Safety measures
Sanitising stations are widely available within the facility and we were constantly asked to sanitise our hands as we moved from one area to the other. Some walls had some missing holds in line with social distancing. Masks were required to be worn at all times, but were allowed to be lowered down during climbs.
Getting there
Clymb Abu Dhabi is located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and can be accessed via Yas Mall. Coming from Saadiyat Island, you take the E10 exit and follow signs to Clymb Abu Dhabi.
For more information about tickets and special offers visit www.clymbabudhabi.com
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
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Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
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Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
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First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
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Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
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The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2.0
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Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
